1. What is complementary food
4-6 months after the baby is born, breast milk or formula milk can no longer meet the baby\’s nutritional needs. At this time, complementary foods need to be introduced. Complementary foods refer to other foods added to your baby\’s diet in addition to breast milk or formula.
2. When to start introducing complementary foods
Usually, babies start to gradually add complementary foods around 4-6 months after birth. But every baby develops differently, so it\’s best to start adding them with your pediatrician\’s advice.
3. Which foods are suitable for 5-month-old babies
Baby 5 months old can try some soft and easy-to-digest vegetables and fruit purees, such as pumpkin, carrots, apples, etc. In addition, you can also try adding some cereals such as rice noodles or millet porridge.
4. How to add complementary foods
First, you need to prepare clean and hygienic tableware, hand sanitizer and other tools. Then boil or steam the appropriate amount of ingredients in water and mash them into a puree, then feed it to your baby with a spoon. You can try adding once or twice at the beginning, 5-10 ml each time, and gradually increase the amount and type.
5. Things to note when adding complementary foods
The first is hygiene. All tableware and tools need to be disinfected. The second is the selection of ingredients. Try to choose fresh, clean and additive-free ingredients. Finally, there are precautions when feeding, such as not forcing the baby to eat, not distracting the baby, etc.
6. How to judge whether the baby has adapted to complementary feeding
It takes a certain amount of time to adapt to complementary feeding, usually about 1-2 weeks. During this process, you can observe whether the baby has any discomfort reactions, such as vomiting, diarrhea, etc. If these conditions occur, you need to stop introducing complementary foods and consult your doctor. If there are no problems, you can continue to add new ingredients and varieties.
Summary:
Babies who are 5 months old can start to add some soft and easy-to-digest vegetables and fruit purees as well as cereals. When adding complementary foods, you need to pay attention to hygiene issues, selecting appropriate ingredients, and feeding precautions. At the same time, it is also necessary to gradually increase the amount and type, and observe whether the baby has any discomfort. In the process of adding complementary foods, the most important thing is to take the baby\’s physical condition and development as the main factor and follow the doctor\’s recommendations.
